The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha

A Complete Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya

Bhikkhu Bodhi, Bodhi

• Publisher: Wisdom Publications
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9781614290407
• eBook ISBN: 9781614290445
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Buddhism

Like the River Ganges flowing down from the Himalayas, the entire Buddhist tradition flows down to us from the teachings and deeds of the historical Buddha, who lived and taught in India during the fifth century B.C.E. To ensure that his legacy would survive the ravages of time, his direct disciples compiled records of the Buddha's teachings soon after his passing. In the Theravada Buddhist tradition, which prevails in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, these records are regarded as the definitive "word of the Buddha." Preserved in Pali, an ancient Indian language closely related to the language that the Buddha spoke, this full compilation of texts is known as the Pali Canon.At the heart of the Buddha's teaching were the suttas (Sanskrit sutras ), his discourses and dialogues. If we want to find out what the Buddha himself actually said, these are the most ancient sources available to us. The suttas were compiled into collections called "Nikayas, " of which there are four, each organized according to a different principle. The Digha Nikaya consists of longer discourses; the Majjhima Nikaya of middle-length discourses; the Samyutta Nikaya of thematically connected discourses; and the Anguttara Nikaya of numerically patterned discourses.The present volume, which continues Wisdom's famous Teachings of the Buddha series, contains a full translation of the Anguttara Nikaya. The Anguttara arranges the Buddha's discourses in accordance with a numerical scheme intended to promote retention and easy comprehension. In an age when writing was still in its infancy, this proved to be the most effective way to ensure that the disciples could grasp and replicate the structure of a teaching.

THE BOOK OF THE ONES

(Ekakanipāta)

The Book of the Ones

I. Obsession of the Mind

1–10

II. Abandoning the Hindrances

11–20

III. Unwieldy

21–30

IV. Untamed

31–40

V. A Spike

41–50

VI. Luminous

51–60

VII. Arousal of Energy

61–70

VIII. Good Friendship

71–81

IX. Heedlessness

82–97

X. Internal

98–139

XI. Non-Dhamma

140–149

XII. Not an Offense

150–169

XIII. One Person

170–187

XIV. Foremost

188–267

XV. Impossible

268–295

XVI. One Thing

296–377

XVII. Qualities Engendering Confidence

378–393

XVIII. Finger Snap

394–574

XIX. Mindfulness Directed to the Body

575–615

XX. The Deathless

616–627

The Book of the Ones

Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One

I. OBSESSION OF THE MIND

1 (1)

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!”

“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other form that so obsesses the mind¹⁷ of a man as the form of a woman. The form of a woman obsesses the mind of a man.”

2 (2)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other sound that so obsesses the mind of a man as the sound of a woman. The sound of a woman obsesses the mind of a man.”

3 (3)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other odor that so obsesses the mind of a man as the odor of a woman. The odor of a woman obsesses the mind of a man.”¹⁸ [2]

4 (4)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other taste that so obsesses the mind of a man as the taste of a woman. The taste of a woman obsesses the mind of a man.”¹⁹

5 (5)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other touch that so obsesses the mind of a man as the touch of a woman. The touch of a woman obsesses the mind of a man.”²⁰

6 (6)²¹

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other form that so obsesses the mind of a woman as the form of a man. The form of a man obsesses the mind of a woman.”

7 (7)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other sound that so obsesses the mind of a woman as the sound of a man. The sound of a man obsesses the mind of a woman.”

8 (8)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other odor that so obsesses the mind of a woman as the odor of a man. The odor of a man obsesses the mind of a woman.”

9 (9)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other taste that so obsesses the mind of a woman as the taste of a man. The taste of a man obsesses the mind of a woman.”

10 (10)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other touch that so obsesses the mind of a woman as the touch of a man. The touch of a man obsesses the mind of a woman.” [3]

II. ABANDONING THE HINDRANCES²²

11 (1)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen sensual desire arises and arisen sensual desire increases and expands so much as the mark of the attractive.²³ For one who attends carelessly to the mark of the attractive, unarisen sensual desire arises and arisen sensual desire increases and expands.”

12 (2)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen ill will arises and arisen ill will increases and expands so much as the mark of the repulsive.²⁴ For one who attends carelessly to the mark of the repulsive, unarisen ill will arises and arisen ill will increases and expands.”

13 (3)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen dullness and drowsiness arise and arisen dullness and drowsiness increase and expand so much as discontent, lethargy, lazy stretching, drowsiness after meals, and sluggishness of mind.²⁵ For one with a sluggish mind, unarisen dullness and drowsiness arise and arisen dullness and drowsiness increase and expand.”

14 (4)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen restlessness and remorse arise and arisen restlessness and remorse increase and expand so much as an unsettled mind.²⁶ For one with an unsettled mind, unarisen restlessness and remorse arise and arisen restlessness and remorse increase and expand.” [4]

15 (5)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen doubt arises and arisen doubt increases and expands so much as careless attention.²⁷ For one who attends carelessly, unarisen doubt arises and arisen doubt increases and expands.”

16 (6)²⁸

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen sensual desire does not arise and arisen sensual desire is abandoned so much as the mark of the unattractive.²⁹ For one who attends carefully to the mark of the unattractive, unarisen sensual desire does not arise and arisen sensual desire is abandoned.”³⁰

17 (7)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen ill will does not arise and arisen ill will is abandoned so much as the liberation of the mind by loving-kindness.³¹ For one who attends carefully to the liberation of the mind by loving-kindness, unarisen ill will does not arise and arisen ill will is abandoned.”³²

18 (8)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen dullness and drowsiness do not arise and arisen dullness and drowsiness are abandoned so much as the element of instigation, the element of persistence, the element of exertion.³³ For one who has aroused energy, unarisen dullness and drowsiness do not arise and arisen dullness and drowsiness are abandoned.”³⁴

19 (9)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen restlessness and remorse do not arise and arisen restlessness and remorse are abandoned so much as pacification of the mind.³⁵ For one with a pacified mind, unarisen restlessness and remorse do not arise and arisen restlessness and remorse are abandoned.”³⁶

20 (10)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing [5] on account of which unarisen doubt does not arise and arisen doubt is abandoned so much as careful attention.³⁷ For one who attends carefully, unarisen doubt does not arise and arisen doubt is abandoned.”³⁸

III. UNWIELDY

21 (1)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing that when undeveloped is so unwieldy as the mind. An undeveloped mind is unwieldy.”

22 (2)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing that when developed is so wieldy as the mind. A developed mind is wieldy.”

23 (3)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing that when undeveloped leads to such great harm as the mind. An undeveloped mind leads to great harm.”

24 (4)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing that when developed leads to such great good as the mind. A developed mind leads to great good.”

25 (5)

“Bhikkhus, I do not see even one other thing that, when undeveloped and unmanifested,³⁹ leads to such great harm as the mind. The mind, when undeveloped and unmanifested, ...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Contents
• Preface
• Key to the Pronunciation of Pāli
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• A Thematic Guide to the Anguttara Nikāya
• 1. The Book of the Ones
• 2. The Book of the Twos
• 3. The Book of the Threes
• 4. The Book of the Fours
• 5. The Book of the Fives
• 6. The Book of the Sixes
• 7. The Book of the Sevens
• 8. The Book of the Eights
• 9. The Book of the Nines
• 10. The Book of the Tens
• 11. The Book of the Elevens
• Notes
• Appendixes
• Pāli-English Glossary
• Bibliography
• Indexes
• About Wisdom Publications
• Copyright